Sunday, July 5, 2015

Dam Water, Infernal Heat.

It has been unseasonally dry this year, and hot recently, with temperatures 100+. Fire-bans are in full effect, most of the province is tinder dry, and the folks who live up in town are under water restrictions. There has been several fires in the area, down near Sloquet hot spring, and some bad ones burning right now in surrounding forest districts.

A beautiful full-moon back a few nights.

The haze and faint smell of smoke from some distant fire is always a concern.

What there was of this years Spring run-off was over weeks ago, this hot weather has brought the river up once more from melting way up high in the Meager country at the headwaters of the Lillooett River. You can tell by the color.

All the tributaries along the way have nothing left up there to come down and are at late Summer levels, including the creek up behind me that supplies water for here and the campsite, and runs the power system. Normally, I wouldn't expect low creek-flow issues this early up at the small dam, but the system let me know there was a problem up there and sucking a little air.

I stopped by the culvert where Sparrow Creek crosses the road out back, and there was no flow. That is not too unusual, during periods of low flow, the creek actually disappears into the rocky ground between here and the falls, but pretty early in the season for that now.

I went a few km up the mountainside and parked as close as I could get to the intake pond. Working my way through the over-grown trail in the berry patch the bear likes to sleep in, and skidded down the hillside to the intake pond dam, where the cougar likes to cross the creek.

More going in than coming out. I'm drawing off probably a third of the flow for the needs below.

Any cavitation problems can usually be solved by stacking up some rocks along the top edge of the dam, and it was refreshing to get in the pond and bring some rocks up, although you probably wouldn't want to drink the water down at the lodge and campsite for awhile. Helps clear out the pond too, it will fill up with fresh rocks again next Winter. All I need is another inch or two of water level to avoid whirl-pooling air into the intake screen. I've done this before the end of August and up until the first part of October, but I don't ever recall having to do it this early. If it continues like this, as it probably will, sufficient water flow could be a concern latter in the season. If it does, I'll have to come back up and make a tighter stack of rocks.

Today smoke rolled up from the south, filling the valley, putting a crimson light on everything and depositing a fine ash.

Theres only so many projects a person feels like tackling on these hot days.

I got the bright idea of venting the air-conditioner into the wood-stove.
Not all that smart an idea, it makes the wood-stove rather warm.

The Thoughtful Spot bench has been surrounded by the most recent high water.

So when it's really hot, I like to go down and sit on it to keep it from floating away.

About Me

I'll write about what I know, and what I've done. I've raced motorcycles, fixed them and answered the phone. I've worked with heavy equipment in the north, mined placer gold in the Klondike, and saw-milled timbers in the Central American jungle. For 20 years now I've lived at a beautiful, historic, remote hot spring property with a water driven generator out in Indian territory. Sometimes I'm called upon as a musician. I've been fortunate to have done some really cool stuff too. Those are the experiences I will share.
Enjoy.